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Monday, May 16, 2011

Glee and Sewing (and Fat, Fashion, and Flamboyance)

Readers, I think we need to form some sort of Sewing Alliance Against Defamation (SAAD, I suppose). As I have noted before, Glee can be a little weird when it comes to gender and sewing. Then on last week's prom episode, sewing came up not once but twice! And it was all linked in to various notions of body image, gender, and sexuality.

I give you Exhibit A. Lauren bemoans that she can't find anything to fit her plus-size figure and says that she's considering making her prom dress because of it. The other girls practically recoil in horror. Brittany deadpans, "Don't, you'll look poor." So we never get to see the potentially awesome dress that Lauren would have made (I'm picturing something New Wave-inspired).

Exhibit B. The girls bring Kurt along on a dress-shopping trip. Lauren tries on a poufy yellow dress with a chic fur capelet and says, "I look like a lemon meringue pie." Brittany, with the line of the night: "I think you look delicious." I concur. Lauren looks pretty adorable, save the over-the-top skirt, which was obviously intended only as a punchline anyway. Kurt (who conveniently turns into a walking stereotype whenever the script calls for it) supposedly saves the day with some hackneyed advice about wearing a "slimming" darker color, and everyone applauds, including Lauren herself, who has never been ashamed of showing off her body. UGH. I hate this scene.

To be clear, it's not Kurt's flamboyance itself that bothers me. I love his colorful personality and I often don't think it's so out of the realm of reality. Plus, the show has done well showing a myriad of gay characters. It's when he becomes a caricature of the "gay sidekick" that I get a little uncomfortable.

Exhibit C. Kurt is super excited to bring ultra-dreamy Blaine to the prom. (Hello, who wouldn't be?! It's wrong how highly I, um, regard Darren Criss.) Being a long-established fashion history buff, Kurt of course can't just go with a half-price tux rental from his dad's buddy's shop. Instead, he whips himself up an ensemble inspired by the Royal Wedding and the late Alexander McQueen. LOVE.

Of course, the sewing nerd in me was saying, "I'm sorry, he WHIPPED UP a tailored jacket and kilt? Yeah, okay." But, yes, I can suspend my disbelief and enjoy a story. Blaine (who is out of the closet but a little afraid to rock to the boat) and Kurt's dad try to talk Kurt out of wearing something so flamboyant. Kurt declines, saying "prom is about joy, not fear." In a moment that any sewist would applaud, he declares, "I'm wearing this suit. I worked hard on it and I think it's fantastic." Go Kurt!

But . . . wait a second. Why is the show ultimately applauding Kurt's ostentatious ensemble while telling Lauren she should cover up and hide in something "slimming"? I'm happy to see Kurt express himself through sewing, but I want better for Lauren than to be given some dumb fashion advice and then made to wear a navy sack. (By Kurt himself, no less.) Kurt and Lauren both have larger-than-life personalities that create interesting storylines, but the writing so often forces them into the absurd and inauthentic.

Now, I always feel a little silly trying to analyze a show that doesn't seem to give much forethought to, you know, character development or consistency. But there's really so much to dissect here! Thoughts, readers?

47 comments:

I don't have any deep thoughts to add (It's 6am here, too early for deep) but I too hated the Lauren scene(s). I had that brief moment of hope that there would be a sewing scene and she'd create something AMAZING and plus-sized, and that brief hope made what came next that much more depressing.

And how much did it stink that we didn't get to see an Emma Pillsbury as Prom Chaperone dress???

Being a curvy size 16 and I don't consider myself fat. My grandmother told me once that Marilyn Monroe was a size 16 and considered a bombshell. Wouldn't it be great if Lauren came out in the infamous white flirty dress. I think we just need to love the body we have.

This is an example of the reason why I've never been able to warm to Glee. It promotes itself as being progressive and anti-prejudice and blah blah blah and it does wrap itself is a superficial veneer of that, but what actually happens under the rhetoric (how the characters behave, how the plot pans out, who can and can't do what and why) is precisely the opposite. And bigotry that passes itself off as "tolerance" is more damage, I think, than bigotry that can be easily identified and resisted. Glee just confuses people into believing that the same old stereotype-peddling narrow-minded crap is the best that we can hope for, or even that it really is something different. That's not what different looks like. Different is actually different.

I think it was poorly handled and really enforced stereotypes. Kurt gets to be fabulous because he's gay, but Lauren doesn't because she's big. Kurt sews something McQueen-esque, but if Lauren touches a machine, she'll look poor. Kurt gets his Pretty In Pink moment...Lauren doesn't.

Re: the sewing. Sewing is on a major rise with young people. Many girls make their dresses. That the Glee consensus of sewing is one of disdain is just another indication of how out of touch their writers have become with their target audience.

My 18 year old daughter and myself loved Glee when it first came out. I gave up on it last year. I just couldn't take it any more. My daughter too has stopped watching it. She said that her and her friends all thinks it's lame now.They had a good thing going and I believe they took it too far. Remember the first season when you waited anxiously for the one song at the end. Now I wish they'd stop singing. The story lines are ridiculous. It's all too much now.

I have some ambivalence about "Glee," the episode in which the boys were making fun of Coach Beastie (sp?) was the worst, and why does the only black girl have to be soulful and fat, but Lauren looked ridiculous. The color, the skirt, everything was awful.

I'm glad she didn't make her dress. It might have been a horror akin to the one Molly Ringwald's character wore in "Pretty in Pink."

There are lots of movies in which the heroine's home-sewn clothes cause her to be an object of fun: "Alice Adams" with Katharine Hepburn, a movie whose name I forget with Elizabeth Taylor as a sixteen-year-old in which Mary Astor plays her mother. Home-sewn clothes did/do tend to make people look poor unless the sewer has incredible skills.

Kurt's had that critical fashion eye throughout the series. I didn't think it was stereotypical. I know gay men who are smart, interesting, well-rounded guys who are exactly like Kurt, with the fashion opinions.

The only thing I was offended by was the notion that Kurt could make a suit like that in a week or two, even a month or two. THAT WAS THE LIMIT! :-)

I knew there was a reason I stopped watching this show despite the great music. I would, however, discourage anyone from making a prom dress if they didn't know what they were doing. (Like I said, I don't watch the show so I don't know if the character in question sews.) Then again, it's a tv show, so they could have whipped up something fabulous for her and made her a closet seamstress.

And I did actually like the yellow dress for her. Not sure about the fur shrug. (Guess that could link back to that other post you did about having larger girls cover their arms.) I say give the girl a great hair do and some bling and let her rock out!

i hate, hate, HATE it when women of any shape are told what to wear to "fix" their "problem" areas.

i was just watching some old project runway, the one with the campbells soup challenge for heart surgery survivors, and the designers were moaning about the real shapes they had to work with... and the judges were picking apart the body "flaws"... the whole thing was about what should've been done to fix them. they were all strong, gorgeous women and absolutely nothing needed fixing (besides some whack ass trim choices). "i wanted to give her a waist"... i wanted to give them a lobotomy.

This is why I don't like Glee. I really wanted to love it, but I only got through part of the first season. The fashion is fantastic, and the vibe of the show is fun but I'm always really disappointed in the writing. The characterization isn't consistent, and the way gender stereotypes are handled is depressing. I miss Emma Pillsbury, but I just can't watch the show.

(FYI, my mom's friend sewed one of my prom dresses -- it was inspired by Kate Winslet in Titanic & it was fabulous!)

I hated the scene where Lauren was told to wear navy because it is slimming. Like you, I didn't think the lemon meringue dress was so bad aside from the punch line skirt.

I saw Bridesmaids yesterday. It was pretty hilarious, but I rankled at the treatment of Melissa McCarthy's character. I hate, hate, hate how in modern entertainment the size of the big characters is central to their story line. I hate that the big characters are constantly shown eating junk food or headed first to the buffet. I hate that they are always told that they could be beautiful if only they'd do something differently (eat less, wear navy, love themselves for who they are).

I also hate that modern entertainment promotes such extremes - Lauren and Megan (Melissa McCarthy's characters) are just SO overweight while the other characters are painfully thin. Why can't we have women of a truly NORMAL size? Why can't big women be shown eating healthfully and exercising regularly but still be big? Why must big-ness be always self-inflicted, something representative of self-hatred. Why can't it just be the way that it is?

The very fact that they don't put much forethought into character development, as you say, makes the analysis all the more relevant. Because when they don't think carefully about what they are making their characters say, that is when all these unspoken presumptions about gay people, plus-size girls, gender roles, consumption, etc. come out without being filtered. And as people watch it for light entertainment, not prepared to challenge what they are about to see, they don't filter or critique the messages either, unless they happen to be the analytical type, or the portrayals happen to contradict the individual's important values. For all the people watching at home who DO believe that anything hand made (unless made by a gay guy who, presumably, inherited the high fashion gene along with the homosexuality gene) will make you look poor, or that fat girls should always wear something slimming, these moments will have gone unnoticed and will subconsciously reinforce their existing opinions.

It is interesting though how your analysis shows that the show ties in with a consistent theme in women's history - that the same skill, performed by a man or by a woman, is more valued when performed by a man. If Lauren sews her dress she will look poor - and women's sewing skills have always been undervalued and underpaid - but Kurt whips up a suit which is edgy and avant-garde, OK it makes people uncomfortable, but it groups him with McQueen or Galliano rather than Susie Home Seamstress.

One of my best girlfriends considered making her identital wedding dress and received a similar reaction from her fiance and friends ("What?! On your WEDDING day?!") and she ended up buying hers. It's horrid when people assume that a handmade outfit is somehow inferior to the identical made-in-China togs passed out at H&M or Topshop. When friends find out I've made whatever I'm wearing, the creative ones are impressed, whereas the less-minded tend to respond along the lines of "Oh... that's... nice." Whatever! And as much as I love Glee, I didn't like how they treated Lauren's size issue... personally, I thought she looked fabulous in yellow!

I have been following your blog for over a week now and would like to say how much I love it..and love you! I now believe this is one of the best things I read! I love your tips and tricks on sewing but I also love how you are able to relate sewing to the real world. You share so much of yourself in this blog and I love it! You are beyond inspiring!! Thank you for spending so much effort on this blog! I am so addicted and cannot wait until your book comes out! Sign me up for one! :0)

I too found the Lauren scene uncomfortable, it seemed really out of character for her. Although, I do think Kurt's comment was justified in terms of the characters so far - we have seen his interest in sewing before (I think) but we haven't from Lauren. However, on a side note, did you notice that mercedes was wearing a sleaveless dress (and of course looking amazing)? Huzzah! Lauren wasn't, but we'll get there one day.

When Kurt said he just whipped up that Prince Charlie jacket and kilt, I laughed. Those jackets are REALLY complex and require special buttons. And kilt-making is really an art. Having done Highland Dancewear for years I was thrilled he was wearing a PC Jacket and kilt (but no sporran, sadly)but was amused at the idea of him making something like that overnight.

I could never get into this show. All of these problems of stereotyping characters have been there from the beginning, but seem to be getting worse. I make exceptions for guest stars (Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth), the skating episode (my friends were in that episode!), and Rocky Horror (just because). Every episode I have seen has the same problems cited for this one, but to varying degrees.

Also, I suppose the tailored suit could have been a TNT with slight alterations... so that would save him some fitting time. But still.... I suppose he must have Maria von Trapp Sound of Music speed on his side (I mean, the lady made 7 multi-piece play outfits from curtains in a single night!). In any case, if Kurt had the time and skillz to "whip that up," why couldn't he just throw together a fabulous fitted frock for his friend Lauren? I mean, surely a long drapey gown shouldn't take any longer than that insane (in a good way) coat of his.

Krista, Marilyn Monroe was not a size 16, or at least not a modern size 16. she was actually about four pounds away from being underweight. Sorry, but this is a major pet peeve of mine. But the rest of your comment is right on. Vintage fashion, so much kinder to the plus size figure. :)

Meg, I agree we need women of all sizes in the media, not just the skinny and the fat. But your comment hurt me a bit. I am fat, and my body is normal. And there is nothing wrong with it. Though I am all for fat girls on tv that don't eat all the time.

anyway, I don't watch glee, but what I have heard about it makes me want to head desk. Its really awesome that the show has two fat girls, and not hollywood fat girls, no those girls are for real fat. And that thrills me, but they have the same problems most magazines do. Mixed messages. Love yourself, if you wear black. Love yourself, if you always have shape wear on. Love yourself, but only if you are on a diet.

I hate that Glee is so poorly written a lot of the time, that the characterization is so inconsistent and that they peddle such damaging stereotypes but I love that there are people who watch the show who care as much about all that as I do.

It's really tough to be a smart, thoughtful feminist and a gleek.I hated that scene with Lauren for so many reasons and I hated the line about sewing your own clothes making you look poor but there at least they were being consistent I guess - we all know what these kids think about cucumbers after all. It would just have been nice to see a girl prove them wrong (instead of Kurt who, with the show's massive pro-gay bias) is always allowed to be fabulous.

The things that really annoyed me, and I'm saying this as someone who isn't a very skilled sewer but then that's why I read your blog because I'm hoping to become one, were Rachel's and Mercedes' supposed $5 thrift store dresses. I wish they had chosen inexpensive (if a little more than $5 dresses, perhaps something widely available in the $20-50 range) and altered and embellished to show that you don't need to buy a $400 Betsey Johnson gown to have something fabulous and that with a little bit of creativity you can actually end up with something unique and maybe even better suited to you.

I think that would have been a truly inspiring and realistic message and I'm really disappointed they didn't take the opportunity to make it. I know Lou Eyrich does an amazing job with the costuming but I would love it if she had done that.

While I agree with Zoë that Monroe was not a modern day size 16, she wasn't plus-sized, either. The problem with the so-called plus-sized clothing is that many who fit in it have the Marilyn Monroe hourglass figure, with the larger hips and backside combined with a smaller waist. For this reason it is difficult for us to find clothing that fits well. Vintage clothing addressed this issue well but only because a girdle was still considered de rigeur for women.

Being of Scottish descent, I kind of take offense at the idea that a Prince Charlie jacket and a kilt would be considered someone's idea of an homage to Alexander McQueen, when in fact it's traditional formal wear for Scottish men and, without the boots or whatever Kurt is wearing under his kilt, he looks pretty much like every groomsman I've seen at a Scottish wedding. Not really so McQueen, to my way of thinking. JMHO. And unless you're a fantastic tailor, the idea that anyone could whip one up in a week and have it look so good is, as others have remarked, kind of incredible, particularly given the fact that many tux places have them for rent. My husband wore one when we got married, though we decided to buy it. Generally it comes with a vest, though.

In response to the idea that having a home-sewn prom dress is a bad idea - I have to say that when I was in HS I made the dresses I wore to 2 homecomings, 1 Valentine's dance, and Senior prom (i went with something vintage for Junior prom). I loved all my dresses and still do. For Glee to promote the idea that sewing one's own dress would make her look poor is just stupidity. You'd think they'd do more to celebrate creativity and make it seem as though sewing one's own clothing is normal, rather than making it a stereotypical "weird" thing by having only one person do it. Yes, those who sew their own clothes in school don't usually follow the crowd, but I think they missed an opportunity to go somewhere else by having only Kurt be the one who made his prom attire.

I made my wedding dress, as well and 4 of my 5 bridesmaids' dresses, plus the outfit my aunt wore to do the readings. I couldn't have bought a dress as wonderful as mine for the $300 I spent to make it and my veil. My husband's outfit cost more in the neighborhood of $800! So much for women's clothing costing so much more than men's. That was 14 years ago.

In 2003 I made a beautiful red silk gown from a Tom and Linda Platt Vogue pattern to wear to a military ball. Everyone wanted to know where I got it and was shocked to know I'd made it.

First, Lauren herself was the one who didn't like the yellow dress. The other characters did needlessly suggest slimming colors but it was in response to her initial dislike of the look.

Second, I am amazed in reading these comments at how frequently the word "hate" is used in regard to this scene, this program, etc. I understand that people do get emotional about social issues, but let's get some perspective. It's just a television show with all the attendant absurdities, not a set of commandments by which we must live our lives.

And I have to agree with one of the other commenters - I waited the whole show to see an Emma Pillsbury look and she never showed up at the prom!

and as a complete aside and full-on snark... wouldn't this have been an awesome opportunity to give a shoutout to donatemydress.org or projectprincess.org or to other charities that give girls who don't have much a lovely dress and accessories (some also throw in hair and makeup sessions too)?

Personally I figured Kurt had been working on his prom outfit for months, but then that's me ;) (he rocked that kilt!)

I want to know what's so out there about wearing a kilt and jacket to a formal occassion? So, yes he might not be scottish but wouldn't most of the people just assume he was? I've seen loads of kilts at weddings so there really shouldn't have been such a big deal wearing one to a formal prom.

On a completly different note. I hate Hulu, which isn't working outside the US. And of course they don't say so openly on their homepage (so no one who links to it knows). Just load an show and then be disapointed. (I'm just a bit bitter since I've tried to legally stream -and pay for - a lot of shows and movies without results. So no Glee for me).

Glee itself is somewhat a very American (stereotype) show and - even if whimsical and uptight - much more on the positive side of America from the view of us outsiders (the rest 6 and a half billion in the world).

Yet another reason for me to never tune in. Penis can do no wrong! He can conquer all! And overnight! But vagina...BAD! No custom dress for you! Shame, SHAME! Please. I can't stand scripted network shows. I watch adult swim because if something stupid happens, it's a cartoon. Not an scripted drama trying to pretend it's plausible.

And size 16 in Marilyn's time was more like a 8 or a 6. Our sizes have grown as a country because everyone gained so much weight.

A real live gay sidekick would have whipped up a lemon meringue dress for his gf, and both of them would have danced them all under the table. Sheesh. I guess as a fat lesbian I should be happy that some small part of me is getting more acceptable :-)..

Hold up, aren't teenagers more savvy than this? Granted, the Prom episode hasn't aired on free TV in the UK yet, so I can't comment on what has piqued so much interest on this forum, but I can't believe that teenagers watching this actually believe it all. Isn't just a bit of fluff? I find it funny that commenters are lamenting the role of Lauren and Kurt, but there is no mention (in what I've read) of how stupid Britney is portrayed, or how Sue misuses the adoration of one of the students (forgive me, I don't know her name)...I just take the whole show with a pinch of salt and laugh at the ridiculousness of it at times.

Thanks for summarizing the scenes you linked! Those of us outside the US can't watch Hulu clips, and I really appreciate you taking the time to provide the context and summary needed to follow the rest of the post.

You bring up an excellent point about the inconsistent messages for Lauren and Kurt. It seems that this show is all about celebrating the gay and all about booing the fat. It seems if they are going to preach a message of acceptance it should apply to all differences that other might have.

I'm so glad you decided to blog about these scenes because I was struck by the messages they sent, but for slightly different reasons. I'm always fascinated how different people can perceive the same thing in different ways. I think the point of the scene with Lauren was to address what many teens feel, which is that none of the dresses look on them like they do on the models in Teen Vogue, etc. The fashion "diagnosis" offered by Kurt was that the problem was not Lauren but, rather, the dress, which would not look good on anyone larger than a size 2. He also tried to steer her in a more sophisticated direction, which I thought was interesting because the "lemon meringue" dress was not particularly sophisticated. Further, Lauren did not like the way she looked in the yellow dress and wanted another option.

In contrast, Kurt LOVED his freshly sewn ensemble (I KNOW, LIKE, WHO CAN SEW THAT EVER, LET ALONE A TEENAGER IN HIS SPARE TIME???), and was disappointed that everyone did not share his enthusiasm, not necessarily for the outfit, but for the appropriateness or suitability to the occasion. I think it is a hard lesson for anyone to learn that there is a time and place for everything. It is hard for a kid like Kurt to balance being who he is without pushing the envelope so far as to risk exposing himself to unnecessary vulnerability. Blaine for a date? I loved that there was never a question as to whether that was okay, and the school did not try to stop him. But the over-the-top outfit? Perhaps Lima, OH is not quite ready for that. I thought it was an important thing for him to consider, and I loved that he ultimately decided to wear the outfit anyway. The final scene in the episode said it all. Awesome.

having just finished altering a kilt for my hubby, I can say that it's not something one "just whips up" I spent a week working on it & I didn't even have to do the pleating! The Prince Charlie jacket would be a whole other story!

As for Lauren, seriously? she's got such personality and I can't even recall what her character ended up wearing! so tragic!

I was however, amused by Rachel & Mercedes buying dresses at the Goodwill and looking so awesome- that was totally my junior homecoming! spent 10 bucks on my dress and no one knew I hadn't spent 200.

Girl, I so agree with you. I love Kurt, but sometimes his scenes are either over-the-top flaming or just self loathing. They could totally make him a more lovable character if they didn't stereotype him SOOOO much. As for Lauren, I was disappointed she didn't make her prom dress. I made mine, and I was proud of it. No one else had what I had, and I didn't look poor at all.-Bethany

I love your post and agree with everything you said. One other point irritates me. Why on tv do they always have to show women getting fashion advice from gay men. Are we women too clueless to figure out what works for us and what does not work?

I work in theater and I'm always picking apart aspects of Glee. I'm glad someone else thinks about these things too.I didn't pick up on this aspect of Kurt getting to be himself but Lauren hiding in a slimming color. I have often thought it was funny how they seem to "whip" everything up. They get their assignment for the week and by the end of the week they have costumes and sets. I remember the Umbrella/Singing in the Rain number from a different episode and there was a rain curtain and it made my backstage head spin with knowing how much time actually goes into teching a rain curtain scene.

I made my youngest sister's senior prom dress--ombré sunset yellow at the bottom to pure white at the shoulders, rayon crepe A-line with peek-a-boo back. She loved it, and looked fabulous. And I'm a guy. (And for the record, Molly Ringwald's Pretty in Pink dress was classic, mature, and beautiful. Better than a prom dress deserves to be.)

And it used to be that custom made wedding dresses were chic.

This episode of Glee is just another example of how they're readily willing to bend reality to make witty dialogue for dramatic situational context. All they're doing is demonstrating how little they know about what they're writing about... Which really makes me doubt the veracity of the series as a whole, making it feel "hollow". Hard to believe in a message when the delivery system is so riddled with holes.

It's cute, but in an "empty calories" way. And we all know what they say about that.

Perhaps it's time to turn it off and enjoy a good audiobook while you create something fabulous at your sewing machine? That's what I'd do. Maybe you could review some great books you listen to? That would be really cool! : )

Funny story: I recently bought that EXACT same style vintage dress that Lauren tried on (only this one was in a light powder blue) at an estate sale for $1! My dress was also in a large, but I re-sized it to fit my much smaller frame. I think it was actually originally made in my size, but someone else had carefully added matching fabric panel inserts to the bodice and straps in order to make it larger.

I think the comments to Lauren were normal. When I graduated from High School I wanted to wear the vintage Vogue suit I had worked on in my sewing class (more like slaved). I had found a vintage pattern did all the sizing, cutting, sewing, tailoring and my mother and grandmother would not hear of me wearing something I made, as it would make me look "poor". (Snobbery of a private all girl school). So I bowed to the powers and wore a god awful sheath monstrosity leaving my beautiful new look suit in my closet. the idea that sewing make one look poor is frustrating and a stigma that all of us who sew strive to overcome.

Okay, I know I've hit the effin trifecta (Female, Fat, over-Forty), but in my day, Ducky loved Molly for making her own dress. He would never have dreamed of telling her to wear navy (not that there's anything wrong with that) when she wanted to wear pink.

There was a lot to be said for pink, WIWAG (when I was a girl) that doesn't seem so important these days. Sometimes, that makes me sad.

The Lauren scene was terrible. She's supposed to be so badass, so why is she accepting "wear navy, it's slimming"? I would expect her to punch Kurt in the face for a comment like that. (I do think it's believeable that a teen girl would say "you'll look poor" if you make your own dress. Many teens are very concerned with labels.) As for Kurt: he's become the most inconsistently written character on that show. Remember that episode where his boyfriend tells his dad to talk to him about sex because he's apparently ignorant about it? That was weird because Kurt has always been the most sophisticated and worldy character of all the kids. Plus he's highly theatrical...yet he found it impossible to act sexy? The whole thing was ridiculous and inconsistent. That Fleetwood Mac episode, however....I love me some Rumours.